Cigar-cutter



PATENTED JANQZG, 1904.

W. M. ROBERTS.

GIGAR CUTTER.

APPLICATION FILED 00-1 22, 1902.

no MODEL.

FIG. 1.

FIG. 2.

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Patented January 26, 1904.

PATENT. OFFICE.

WILLIAM M. ROBERTS, OF NEWPORT NEWVS, VIRGINIA.

CIGAR-CUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. '7 50,305, dated January 26, 1904. Application filed October- 22, 1902. Serial No. 128,212. (No model.)

' subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Newport News, in the county of Warwick and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cigar-Out- -ters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in cigar-cutters adapted through the medium of a lever-operated knife to clip or cut the end from the cigar; and one object of my invention is theprovision of a device which will clip the end from the cigar and simultaneously produce a light and display an advertisement, thus making the cigar-cutter serve the twofold purpose in an effective manner.

Another object of my invention is the pro-,

vision of a device which will cut the end of the cigar and display an advertisement, the device being of attractive and ornamental appearance, inexpensive and simple in construction, and efficient and practical in operation.

With these objects in view my invention consists of a cigar-cutter embodying novel features of construction and combination of parts, substantially as disclosed herein.

In order that the details of construction of my invention and the operation may be understood and its numerous advantages be fully appreciated, I invite attention to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a front elevation showing the general arrangement of the apparatus and the lateral relations of the lever, the clips, the tipaperture and the lights. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the center of the lever. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the lever, on a larger scale. Fig. 4: is an elevation of the lever viewed from the front end.

In the drawings similar characters of reference denote corresponding parts in the several views thereof.

As shown in the drawings, the device consists of an outer case made of brass or any other suitable metal and fitted at the bottom with a wood base 2, to which are attached the clips 8 and 9 and the spring 7, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. At the top of the case 1 is a wooden block 3, which serves as a base for two small electric-light bulbs 10 and 11. The case 1 is further provided with an opening at the front, whose edges aremarked X X X X and behind which is a sheet of translucent glass or other translucent material 12, secured in place by clips 13 at bottom and sides, on which may be placed any advertising device or sign desired, the back of the case directly behind the lamps being, if desired, bumped outward, as shown at 19 in Fig. 2, to form a reflector for each of the lamps, the inner surface of the case at these pointsbeing polished for this purpose. Attached to the lower portion of the back of the case 1 is a lug 6, which forms the fulcrum of the lever 4, connection between 6 and 1 being made by means of the pin 20. The lever 4: is provided with a groove 21, (shown in Fig. 3,) in which lies the ball 15, which is made of any suitable metal. Attached to the arm 22, which forms part ofthe lever 4, is a cuttingblade 17, which when the lever is depressed traverses the opening 16, provided in the front of the case 1 for the insertion of the tip of the cigar to be out. At the upper extremity of the lever 4 is a finger-plate 5, which may be made. either of metal or of some non-conducting substance. The neck of the lever 1 traverses and may or may not fit snugly in the slot 18 in the front of the case 1.

Each of the clips 8 and 9 is connected by means of an insulated wire 1 1 and 23 with the positive terminal of one of the lamps 10 and 11, both of the negative terminals of the lamps being electrically connected with the negative wireof a paralleled-wired electriclighting circuit. The case 1 is attached to the positive wire of the same circuit by means of wire 24, leading to a battery, as shown in Fig. 2, and by virtue of the lug 6 and the pin 20 the lever 4 is also electrically connected to the positive wire. A connection being established between either clip and the lever, the lamp which is attached electrically with that clip will have a current passed through it and will burn. It is to be noted in this connection that there is a clearance between each of the clips 8 and 9 and the lever 45 in order to prevent accidental contact between either clip and the lever. As a means of preventing the ball 15 from leaving the groove, a metal shield or one of any other suitable material.

(not shown in the drawings) may be fitted over the groove, said shield clearing the top of the ball enough to permit free rolling of the ball.

In operation the apparatus having been placed on a level surface or secured in such a position that the bottom of the case is level and the electrical connection having been made, as prescribed above, the cigar which it is desired to clip is inserted in the clip-aperture l6, and the lever is depressed by means of a pressure exerted on the finger-plate 5. The blade 17 thereupon traverses the aperture and severs the cigar-tip. The moment the lever is tilted forward sufficiently the ball 15 rolls toward the operator and passes down one branch of the groove 21 until it is brought into contact with the clip on the side down which it rolls. The lever and the clip being now in electrical connection through the ball, one of the lamp-circuits is completed and the corresponding lamp burns until the leveris released and the ball rolls back to the position shown in Fig. 2. The return movement of the lever is accomplished by means of the spring 7 which presses the lever constantly upward. It is intended to make the lamps of two different colors, so that the sign on the glass or other translucent material will be illuminated in one or the other color, depending entirely on which side of the groove the ball rolls, and when the apparatus is properly leveled it will be impossible for the operator to predict which of the colors will show. It is in this feature that the greatest part of .the novelty of my invention lies.

As I have described my invention and illustrated it in the drawings referred to, the case is of metal, as is the lever, the bases 2 and 3 are of wood, the spring 7 is flat, &c.; but I do not wish to be understood as confining myself to these particular substances or forms. On the other 'hand, I reserve the right to substitute different materials and to change the form of the different parts and of the apparatus as a whole to suit my convenience, provided I do not alter the essential features and functions of the apparatus.

I am aware that as I have shown it the method of cutting off the cigar-tips is by no means new and that illuminating advertisingsigns have been used in connection with cigar cutters. I

What I claim, however, as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A cigar-cutter, consisting of a casing having an opening for a suitable display or advertisement, electric lights in rear of said space or opening, connections leading from said lights,

.a movable contact for engaging said connections and a cutter having a movable contact mounted thereon, said cutter adapted to cut the cigar and simultaneously move said contact to close the circuit and light the lights to display the advertisement. v

2, A cigar-cutter, consisting of a casing, a lever pivoted in said casing and carrying a knife, a movable contact mounted upon and operated by said lever, electrical connections leading to lamps and lighted by the said movable contact engaging said connection.

3. A cigar-cutter consisting of a casing having a display-window, lamps in rear of said window, electrical connections leading from said lamps, contact-plates to which said connections lead, a lever moving between said contact-plates, a'lknife carried by said lever for cutting the end of. the cigar, and a movable contact mounted in the lever and adapted to engage the contact-plates to light the lamps.

4:. A cigar-cutter consisting of a casing, an advertising device withinthe casing, lights for illuminating said advertising device, connections leading from said lights, contact-plates to which said connections lead, a lever pivoted in the casing carrying a cutter, and amovable contact carried by the lever and when operated to cut the cigar simultaneously causing the movable contact-plates to close the circuit and light one of the lights to illuminate the advertisement,

'5. The combination of a casing, an advertising device arranged in said casing, incandescent lamps for illuminating said advertising device, contact-plates connected with said lamps, a lever having a cigar-cutter, and a movable contact carried by said lever and moving in guides of said lever and engaging the contact-plates when the lever is moved to light the lamps and display the advertisement in the casing.

6. The combination of a casing, an advertising device in said casing, incandescent lamps for illuminating said advertising device,

contact-plates connected with said lamps, a lever having a cigar-cutter and having a channel on its upper face, amovable contact traveling in said channel for engaging the contact-plates.

In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. WILLIAM M. ROBERTS. Witnesses:

GODFREY L. SMITH, FREDK. S. Con. 

